good morning
We’re nearly at the one-year anniversary of that Antonio Conte press conference. You know, the one where he kinda just went bezerk about the players and the club.
Dearest hoddlers, let me introduce you to Rick Pitino, the head men’s basketball coach of St John’s University, your hoddler-in-chief’s alma mater.
I never wanted him to become coach and even asked, rhetorically, “Haven’t I lived through enough pain already?” in the March 22, 2023 hoddle (also almost a year ago!).
Because, you see, Pitino is a jerk. Let’s put Louisville aside for a moment and focus on his recent comments via NJ.com following a St John’s defeat, in which the Johnnies blew a 19-point lead.
“This is the most unenjoyable experience of my lifetime,” he said during the post-game news conference, in which he effectively declared the season over.
He goes on to rail on the training facilities at SJU (fair, although not cool to say that publicly), the recruiting process (remind you of anyone?) and, worst of all, his players:
“We are so unathletic that we can’t guard anybody without fouling,” Pitino said.
He goes on to list five players by name who are “slow laterally” and saying it’s their apparent lack of athleticism – not “shitty facilities” – for this horrible season.
Which is baffling considering in the power he has in recruiting, the fact he was hired very early and that he had months – months! – to build this team during the summer and autumn.
I don’t buy his lame excuses. Nor should anyone else, least of all the players.
For those unfamiliar with college basketball in the US – these are “student athletes” aged 18-22 years old who are paid either little or no money to spend long hours in training and during games, whose programme is used to raise millions of dollars for the university, all while also undertaking courses to graduate university.
It’s truly remarkable that a 71-year-old man would feel the need to publicly chastise his players like this. If you’re being recruited by St John’s right now, would you really want to play for this guy?
Fitzie’s track of the day: OMG, by Suki Waterhouse
And now for your links:
Video: James Maddison makes a young fan’s dream come true
Sheffield United condemn racist abuse directed at Mason Holgate
Rochdale AFC face liquidation threat